Balete to summon Masisi

As fight for Kgale Forest Hill 9KO farm intensifies

Bogosi unhappy with Govt, Bamalete Land Board

We want Masisi to give us an ear- Kgosi MokgosiGovt must set a commission of enquiry- Analyst

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

Aggrieved Balete vow not to leave no stone unturned when they meet again with government in court over the Forest Hill 9KO farm and demand audience with President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Led by their Kgosikgolo Mosadi Seboko, the adamant Balete would on the 22 March, 2021 face the Bamalete Landboard in their quest to oppose Land Board to strip them ownership of the farm.

Balete have been at loggerheads with Land Board fighting to retain ownership of Farm Forest Hill 9KO, a freehold farm belonging to the tribe but Land Board want to change its title deed.

It is understood that the Land Board and government are fighting tooth and nail to seize the farm and pass it to some of the investors who have shown interest in buying it with millions.

In an interview, Balete Deputy Chief, Kgosi Tsimane Mokgosi said the tribe is aggrieved by the government’s evil deeds to the farm via Land Board calling for president Masisi to intervene.

Kgosi Mokgosi revealed that the tribe leadership demand a meeting with Masisi after trying many times in vain to bring on board responsible Minister of Lands Management Kefentse Mzwinila.

“We are so aggrieved by the Land Board’s conduct and its suspicious plans over our land. We are not going to take things for granted and we want president to intervene and listens to our concerns regarding his government through the Land Board. It’s our land it belong to us,” he said.

He noted that the Bamalete tribal leadership had delegated the area MP Lefoko Moagi together with other political leadership to engage government on the matter but nothing materialized.

The Land Board is suing Kgosi Mosadi Seboko and the Gamalete Development Trust for the title deed to Kgale Farms, a move which Kgosi Mokgosi says it has negative financial constraint on them.

Balete insists that the land belongs to them as it was brought by their fore fathers who raised donations back in 1925 to have the land being used for agriculture related investment purposes.

Furthermore, Balete argue that the Land Board has no jurisdiction to step into pursuing the title deed of the land as it a freehold land but the Land Board jurisdiction is only limited to tribal land.

“The Land Board is taking advantage of its financial muscle to fight us for our precious land. We don’t have enough funds as morafe for court bills but we have been supported in this case by some local lawyers on voluntary spirit. We won’t let government to steal our land,” he hit out.

Land Board demand represented by the Attorney General (AG) on the matter demand that the Registrar of Deeds should cancel the title deed of Balete and transfer it into a tribal land deed.

Some sources inside Balete Bogosi revealed that Masisi promised the tribal leadership that he will intervene and give ear to their concerns regarding farm should they vote BDP in Ramotswa.

So, Balete vow to vote out the BDP come 2024 elections should Land Board don’t retract its mission.

Masisi received backlash from the opposition while addressing a Kgotla meeting in Ramotswa prior to the 2019 general elections as he entertained the complaints from morafe over the land.

But Masisi at a meeting said he is listening to Balete plea but he will not interfere with judiciary.

Efforts to get comment from Ramotswa MP Moagi proved futile as he didn’t answer calls into his phone.

Political analyst Mokaloba Mokaloba said the land issues are very sensitive and the government should act promptly either through a commission of enquiry or the courts to solve saga appropriately.

He said if it can turns to be politicized, it will not end well but he said it is destined to be political.

The farm Forest Hill or 9KO measures 2, 229 hectares and with acute shortage of land besieging Balete territory, Kgosi Mokgosi said there is now way they could afford to be robbed their land.